The Anson Economic Development Corporation (AEDC) board of directors elected officers for 2010-11 at the March 18 annual meeting. Pictured, front row, left to right, are: Fred Sparger, South Piedmont Community College, at-large seat; Dana Maness, Anson Bank & Trust, treasurer; and Elbert Marshall, Marshall Bruney Media Consultants, secretary. Back row: Emmett Patterson, retired from Pee Dee Electric, at-large seat; Chuck Horne, Hornwood, vice chairman; and Don Scarborough, Plank Road Realty, chairman. The officers also serve as the AEDC's executive committee.
First off, the board of directors for the corporation decided to go outside the county to contract for maintenance of its Web site, deciding to use Leading Edge Web Design of Norwood.
Anson County economic development director Misty Harris also approached the AEDC about advertising in a magazine titled Charlotte USA, which is put out each year by the Charlotte Regional Partnership, an economic development organization that serves the Charlotte region. The magazine is distributed to companies and organizations that may be considering locating to the area. In the past, Charlotte Regional Partnership has donated space in the magazine but due to the economic downturn, is asking for paid advertisements this year.
"It is a highly statistical book," said AEDC secretary Elbert Marshall. "Anson county always has a page in it with demographics and other information."
Harris said that about half of her prospects come through the Charlotte Regional Partnership so it is a very important economic development tool.
A full page cost about $7,500, but after a bit of discussion, the AEDC decided to purchase a half-page ad instead for $2,855.
In other business, Janine Rywak, director of the Anson County Center of N.C. Cooperative Extension, reported that a company looking to locate to the county, Ento Genetics, is considering contracting out mulberry trees to local farmers for its silkworm production.
Extension agent Aimee Marshall is currently working on several proposals.
During the roundtable discussion, it was reported that Hornwood is working at full capacity and even has to contract some work out, for the first time since the economy took a turn for the worse several years ago.
In addition, AEDC chairman Don Scarborough, a realtor, reported that he's had more showings and Web site hits for his real estate business in the first part of 2010 than he had altogether in 2009.
Treasurer Dana Maness stated that he wasn't surprised that Ansonians appeared to have weathered the storm. "Ansonians have always been able to hang tough," he said. "We've been through tough times before and know how to get through."
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